McAuliffe Says Russert's Dad Is 'Watching From Heaven' -- He's Alive (VIDEO)

In perhaps one of the more uncomfortable moments in recent Meet the Press history, Clinton campaign co-chair Terry McAuliffe insinuated on Sunday that host Tim Russert's father was dead. He isn't.

Expounding -- for the tenth time during the interview -- the virtues of Hillary Clinton's political tenacity, McAuliffe suggested that both his and Russert's dad would be watching her admirably from heaven... perhaps drunk.

"But it's not impossible for Hillary Clinton to win," said McAuliffe. "A lot of people have said that. Big Russ, if he were sitting here today -- nothing's impossible. Jack McAuliffe, if they were with us today, they're probably both in heaven right now Tim, probably having a scotch, looking down saying, you know what: this fight goes on. It's good for the Democratic Party. Millions of people coming out to vote, it's exciting."

Not missing a beat, Russert quickly corrected his always genial guest.

"Big Russ is in the Barcalounger still watching this," he said. "God bless him."

And god bless McAuliffe as well.

Comments

[the964kid]

I cannot believe what McAuliffe said on MTP. He's talking about Michigan being a fair election - even though Obama's name wasn't even on the ballot. McAuliffe is just as shameless as Hillary - I mean how can he say some of this crap with a straight face?! What an ass! Hey McAuliffe, if you and Hillary hadn't boldly looked voters in the face and said such dishonest stuff - maybe you'd be winning instead of losing badly. After already making such a fool of himself Terry manages to go out with a bang by insinuating that Russert's dad is dead. Terry McAuliffe: straight-up fool.

[clintfatigue]

Spewing lies 24/7 for months has got to take a toll on the soul. The Clinton campaign is running on fumes and McAuliffe is exhausted. This gaffe is another crack in the dike of Hillary's campaign. It's going to bust open soon becuase there just aren't enough fingers left to plug the holes.

[fignozzle]

what is McAuliffe ON and what color is the sky in his world??

and i sure do hope about 100 superdelegates come out for Obama tomorrow and end this insanity.

[wmholt]

Hillary and McAuliffe make it easier every day for the superdelegates to turn to Obama and not feel any sense of shame, despite their loyalty to the Clintons.

[JoshuaF]

Terry is one amped up dude. And the attempt at trying to put the whole Michigan/Florida thing into a new light as though they aren't trying to go back on the very rules they agreed to was just blatantly ridiculous.

Bad moment for him with Big Russ blunder, but here's a question: Would it have been worse to speak about his father as though he were alive when in fact he was dead? I'm not sure, just wondering what others thought. Either way, Terry, this campaign is over. As the legendary Laker announcer Chick Hearn used to say, "You can put this one in the refrigerator. The door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the Jell-O is jiggling." Now pull out before someone unplugs the fridge, the bread gets moldy, the lettuce wilts, and the milk goes sour and stinks the whole house up.

[PaxMundis]

It would have been better not to mention Big Russ at all... it was an obvious attempt to pander to Russert, whom everybody knows is fond of his father... just before that McAuliffe mentioned Russert's beloved Buffalo Bills... in other words, he was sucking up to Russert and made a total ass of himself.

[JoshuaF]

I agree. That's a great point. What a tool.

[tgh86]

Too bad they didn't get enough makeup on that shiner Hillary gave him.

[Stew118]

Yo that was funny when Terry said that.

[Bigbrain]

Terrys head was about to explode during the whole show but the BEST moment of the hour was the quotes from his book about the MI primary a few years ago and taking away their delegates when he was the DNC head....

Hes completely delusional right now. Good stuff.

[carray]

this is the same monkey who assured us Kerry was gonna kick W's ass in 2004... a master spinner is probably n understatement!
I, like a lot of Dems, am so glad Howard Dean is DNC 'chair'/head honcho!
The way McAuliffe & co. ran it was pathetic...very centrist & very corporate.

[SharonB]

The unholy triniy:

Mark Penn, Harold Ickes and Terry McAuliffe

James Carvile is satan.

[Jennysaypa]

You know they're desparate when they start calling in the dead vote...

[Senya]

Brr! If you watched Terry McAuliffe this Sunday you saw political fundamentalism at work, (typically we know it through its consequences), blind for facts, deaf for arguments, closed for reasoning, and unable to stop repeating his mantra, ”This is politics, everything can happen,” till everyone believes that is the truth. The difference between him and many supporters appearing on TV in this election season doing similar thing is that he is the co-head of the Clinton-war headquarter. As such, he has a campaign’s road-map with a little circle called The Goal. Nothing could disrupt his way towards The Goal. If The Goal requires to burn the village, no problem. To burn the D. Party or world or any other trivial thing? He is not to be bothered with such insignificant matters.

There are no many suggestions for him/Mrs. Clinton to stop campaigning because people care about democracy and are ready to defend her right to continue. MRS. CLINTON, HOWEVER, IS EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT GENEROSITY. But she wants to “make a history” no matter what. The only thing is that people are not crazy about that kind of making formal history with the exterior change which keeps the rotten practice. People are longing for a real transformation that will better the society and have less of the old politics and more of democracy that cares for the Demos. Rather than for the private desire for making a history; for what purpose, really?

[Wingit]

Burn the D. party is correct. Right now the DNC is almost broke along with the HRC campaign that is in debt. Candidates for congress need help from the DNC for finanacial support. As Hillory continues this financially wasteful campaign, the chances of having a Democratic House abd Senate dwindle. She is like an insurance policy for the Republicans. Even if Obama gets elected, the Republicans will still be able to stop his policies. Nice work Hillary.

[dollars2donuts]

Good point.

[newyork4obama]

Excellent point. The DNC has been hitting me up with the usual fundraising emails and my response has been that I am donating everything I can at this point to Senator Obama's campaign. Once he has the nomination I would be glad to open my checkbook for the DNC. I'm sure there are many out there who feel the same way.

[realpolitic]

McAuliffe is on board the Titanic and he is asking for a paddle to perhaps paddle to America before the ship sinks. He won't make it.

[SharonB]

Look! I can see him there on deck! What's that he's screaming???

"I'M KING OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[realpolitic]

Then Hillary will say: "People like me. They really like me."

[CocteausTwin]

And trying to claim position before women and children.

[realpolitic]

Yes, good point! He may put a wig on soon.

[realpolitic]

Tomorrow's headline on Fox news: Fomer DNC Chairman McAuliffe kills Tim Russert's dad on national television.

That story will be next to the headline: Obama's pastor is a radical Muslim.

[KarateKid]

How did this guy become DNC Chairman? No wonder they went into the toilet. Compare this guy with David Axelrod, an intelligent adult who has never ranted on TV.

Obama has done a much better job in selecting his senior staff than Clinton. That's why there has been stability.

Isn't who you select to surround yourself with a major part of LEADERSHIP??? THESE are the people who would be ready on Day One.

[realpolitic]

Axelrod is impressive. He is always decent.

[Tages72]

Here, here. Excellent summary of the reasons why Obama has survived this mess for so long.

Couldn't agree more about Axelrod. He's run the smoothest campaign I've seen in years on the roughest terrain open to a candidate. And I have to admit, this was the first I'd ever seen of the guy. Obama chose well.

I gotta give Terry points for his latest gaffe, though. Russert must have been laughing his butt off even as it happened.

[realpolitic]

Yes, Axelrod is really well-known in Chicago area and Illinois politics.

[tbrnotb]

Terry MacAuliffe...Chairman of the Democratic Party in 2004. The election we should have won, but we lost.....lost so ineptly.....can you all see why? How this man made it to a position of power mystifies me. Hillary got what she deserved for hiring him to run this terrible, terrible campaign. To this day, he's trying to wreck the Democratic Party. Years from now, we'll probably find out he was on Karl Rove's payroll!